Monday, June 28, 2004

Mustang Sally...

I saw this couple the other day, probably both in their late 70's possibly 80's.
In this town there aren't many places to hang outside and listen to live music.
This couple found a rare moment in a small park, a live band playing Mustang Sally, and time to dance with each other; completely unaware of the 100 other people standing around the park watching. Sure there were a few other people dancing, but they were all under 5.
The woman had a humpback and, if she stretched, was maybe 4'8".
The man was much taller at approximately 5'1".
They swung around and around, both hands held tightly together and I would swear he was supporting her as if she were a feather.
Most of the crowd smiled at the sight.
Grinning, but not really smiling, a teenager, 15?, raced to the center of the park and broke apart the couples grasp.
The woman seemed shocked and annoyed and did not welcome the boy's joining them.
The man, who, I think, has had a lifetime of accepting unwelcome events and learned to take them as they come, grabbed right onto the boy's hands and continued to dance with him.
The woman stepped aside upset.
The boy's friends snickered along the sidelines.
When he had had enough of his game the boy, his pants literally falling down past his thighs, raced away from the old man as fast as he could.
It was the running more than anything that cheapened his actions and revealed his intent to be petty, immature and damaging to a pure moment.
Looking around the crowd I could tell that he had changed the tone of the entire group and people broke apart from their joined experience and rapidly dissappeared to continue their busy lives.

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